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what is the best gun in arc raiders

Venator is currently the most commonly agreed “best gun” in ARC Raiders, especially at higher levels of play, with Tempest, Renegade, and Stitcher also frequently rated as top‑tier picks.

Quick Scoop

If you just want a fast answer to what is the best gun in Arc Raiders :

  • Venator is widely considered the strongest overall hand cannon right now (massive burst damage, great versus players and ARC armor).
  • Tempest is the go‑to “laser beam” assault rifle for mid‑range fights (very accurate, strong DPS, but rare and painful to lose).
  • Renegade is a powerhouse battle rifle for accurate players, deleting enemies at mid–long range with very high per‑shot damage.
  • Stitcher is a common SMG that shreds in PvP at close to mid range and is very forgiving for newer players.

Think of it this way:
Venator = burst kill king, Tempest = all‑round rifle, Renegade = precision hammer, Stitcher = spray‑and‑pray blender.

Why Venator Is Often Called “Best”

Venator sits at the top of many tier lists with an S‑tier rating and is explicitly called the best gun in ARC Raiders in recent breakdowns.

Key reasons players rate it so highly:

  • Fires two bullets at once but only spends one ammo (Twin Shot trait), giving insane burst.
  • High base damage with a big headshot multiplier (around 2.5x), so accurate players delete targets instantly.
  • Strong versus both human raiders and ARC armor plating, so you can carry it into almost any encounter type.

Drawbacks to keep in mind:

  • Slower handling compared to lighter guns, especially after balance tweaks.
  • Rewards calm, accurate shooting more than panic spamming—if you whiff, you really feel it.

If you’re mechanically confident and like hand cannons, Venator is the “best gun” you can build an entire playstyle around.

Other Top Guns You Should Know

Different tier lists and guides highlight a few repeat names; “best” depends a lot on range and role.

Tempest – the mid‑range monster

  • True assault rifle that dominates mid‑range fights, often rated S‑tier in weapon guides.
  • Full‑auto, accurate, and consistent, with solid damage and high stability.
  • Uses medium ammo, so it does well against both players and ARCs.

Weak point:

  • It’s rare and expensive to lose, so it hurts more in a permaloss environment than common guns.

Renegade – precision battle rifle

  • Lever‑action battle rifle using medium ammo, with very high per‑shot damage (around 35) and long effective range.
  • Great for mid–long‑range firefights and also solid against large ARCs if you hit your shots.

You trade spamability for raw power and control—amazing if you’re accurate, punishing if you’re not.

Stitcher – the common SMG that slaps

  • Common‑rarity SMG using light ammo with high fire rate and 7 damage per shot.
  • Melts players at close range and still performs decently in mid‑range scrambles.
  • New‑player friendly but still used by veterans because of how reliable it feels in PvP.

Weakness: it’s not ideal for big ARCs, but it handles small enemies and raiders extremely well.

Loadout Tips Based on Your Playstyle

Because ARC Raiders mixes PvP and PvE, your “best gun” depends on how and where you like to fight.

For aggressive close‑range players:

  1. Venator + SMG (Stitcher or Bobcat) gives you lethal burst plus spray for clean‑ups.
  1. Vulcano shotgun is another close‑range nuke if you reliably get in someone’s face.

For mid‑range, flexible play:

  1. Tempest alone can carry most encounters if you keep fights at mid distance.
  1. Pair Tempest with a high‑impact sidearm (Venator/Anvil) if you can afford it.

For long‑range, methodical players:

  1. Renegade as your main gun for mid–long‑range picks.
  1. Swap to something like an SMG or shotgun for emergencies up close (Stitcher, Vulcano, etc.).

Forum and Community Takeaways

Community tier lists, guides, and videos mostly converge on a small pool of “best” weapons.

Across those discussions, a few patterns keep showing up:

  • Venator is usually called the single best gun in the game at the moment, especially for skilled shooters.
  • Tempest, Renegade, and Stitcher are near‑universal picks in S or high A tier for their consistency and flexibility.
  • Some guides still shout out Ferro and Anvil as deceptively strong commons, especially early on or if you’re broke.

So if you want a practical answer for what is the best gun in arc raiders right now:

  • Aim for Venator as your top‑end weapon.
  • Use Tempest, Renegade, or Stitcher as your main workhorses while you get there.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.